Exerciser



Patented Nov. 16, 1948 narran, :smits-s EXERCISER Pauline ArnoldWhite andlP-.ercival White, Long Ridge, N. Y.

" Application November 29, 194.6, serial No. `'r1-2,934

is claims. (o1. .issn-25) vThis invention relates to an exercising machine of theitype in v which a motor means is adapted to move limb `exercising members for moving the limbs `of-fa lperson applied to parts of the limb exercising members. vMachines of the particular class `are Well-known in the art, and in the main, comprise an `electric motor that moves pedals or levers for moving the arms and legs ci a person using the machine.

In the machineof the prior art, the limb exercising members are moved in predetermined cycles, and With no variation in the movement of thelimbe'xercisingmembers relatively to one'am other. In this Way, there is Vpreserved a constant rhythm of movement that is easily anticipated anddetraots from the exei'cisingivalueof the prior art machines. `It is'theobject of -my invention to contribute an exercising machine in which the l'irnb exercising members move relatively to one another in varying relationship while moving' to exercise the limbs of `the person using the 4fma-` chine.

As va feature of the invention, I utilizelimb exercising members `that are movable by motor means relatively to one another in varying relationship, while movable individually to exercise the limbs of a body.

As a more particular feature of ythe invention,

the limb exercisingmembers are each movable through predetermined cycles, with the relationn ship of the cycle of one limb exercising member to thefcycle of the other limb exercising member being Acontinuously*varied.

VAs a vmore particular feature of the invention, I provide an extremely novel Yand simple means for moving the limb exercising members cyclically,

While `at the same time. `moving the said members relatively to .one another in varying relationship. f

Even more particularly, for contributing the par ticular features set forth, I :utilize a single op` erating .gear member, `Whichpreferably is .aworm,

in Vcontact with -two different gears `that in :turni operate the limb exercising members.l

fl have `thus outlined rather broadly `thefmore important features of my .invention :in order-thated hereto. "'l'hosefskilled inthe art will appre-` ciate that the conception on which my disclosure is :based may readily ybe utilized as a basis for the designing :ofwother structures J for .carrying ont the l 2 l several .purposes of my invention. Itis important, therefore, that the claims to be granted me shall belof -suiflicient breadth to .prevent the appropriation roi fmy 'invention .by thoseskilled in the art.

"Referringinow to the drawings, Fig. l is an elevaticn `of .an exercising machine embodying .my invention. Fig. 2 is .a plan View looking `downwardly onthe machine of Fig. l. Fig.` 3 is .aseotion taken .along lines 3--3 of Fig. .1, while Fig. 4 is a section taken along lines 4-#4 of Fig. 1.

. Referring now more particularly tothe drawingsthe iframe of my machineis preferably vconstructed of a strip `of steel having spring-like qualities and designated generally by reference numeral le). Welded or bolted to the strip of steel if! at il, are .cross legs l2 that form an .adequate support for .the machine, resting on the floor Ior ground, `as is .quite apparent. The upper portion of the steel strip l0 has secured -theretoiat I3a suitable .bicycle type seat I4 `on which `sits the personto be exercised.

The steel strip -|.0 is bent tat |5Ato form a means for securing a bearing sleeve i6, best shown in Fig. 3. This bearing `sleeve I `is `secured relatively to the bent portion t5 of ythe steel strip Ill through means ,cfa bracket il bolted at I8 `tothe steel strip t0. As seen in Fig. 3, the bearing sleeve I6 .has mounted therein for free rotation .a pair 0i shafts I9, each grooved at 20 for a retaining stud 2l threaded into the bearing sleeve VI-6, Iand retaining the said shafts I9 against endWise removal from the bearing sleeve i6. Itis, of course, appreciatedA that each of the shafts i9 is permitted to rotate-freely in the bearing sleeve i6,

though-prevented against endwise removal there-` from.

Each ci the shafts It is provided with a diametric bore 22, .and secured in `the bore 22 ofthe right handshaft 'it .of Fig. 3 is a limb ,exercising member or lever `2.3.. The lever `23 is ilxed to .the`

shaft i9 .by a stud .24, `the stud .allowing'longitudenal movement of the lever 23 relatively to the shaft |39 foradjusting the `position Aoi the lever relatively-.to :the machine. i

`.The vleft .hand shaft .i9 of Fig. 3has iitted in its bore 422 a leVerZSd also secured thereto by astud Maslmila-r to stud 24 `of the right hand shaft i9.'V

At 'the .upper end of each of the levers 23, 23a

there is `-secured a hand grip member 25 of Ua! typeknown well in this art. At the lower end ofi each of the levers 2.3,3230J there is secured a-bicycle type '.pedaltZE on which .are applied the feet of the person being exercised. The pedals 26 `may be .secured `relatively to anyone -of the series lof openings '2.1 formed inthe levers 2'3, 23a. It vwill be recalled that the said levers 23, 23a may also be moved relatively to the shafts I9, thereby making it possible to adjust the machine for persons of different size.

Mounted on the bottom of the steel strip l under the seat I4, through suitable means, is an electric motor M adapted to rotate a worm gear within a gear case 3l. The worm gear 30 is adapted for engagement with a ring gear 32 and a ring gear 33, the ring gear 32 having sixty teeth while the ring gear 33 has fifty-nine teeth. The ring gear 32 is suitably secured within the gear casing 3| to a shaft 34, and keyed to this shaft 34 at 35 is a crank 35. Crank 36 is pivoted at 31 to a connecting rod 38 that is in turn pivoted at 39 to the lever 23. It is obvious that the pivot point 31 may be changed by utilizing any one of the series of extra holes 40 formed in the crank 35. The transmission of motion to the lever 23 by connecting rod 33 may further be changed by utilizing one of the openings 21 other than the particular opening utilized in Fig. 1.

The left hand ring gear 33 is secured within the gear casing 3| to a shaft 4| having keyed thereto at 42 a crank 43. Crank 43 is in turn pivotally secured to a connecting rod 44 at point 45. The connecting rod 44 is then secured at 46 to the limb exercising lever 23a. It is obvious that the drive of lever 23a is exactly the same as that of lever d3 except that one of the levers will -be moved at a speed somewhat higher than that of the other lever because of the variation in the number of teeth of the two ring gears 32, 33.

Due to the extremely simple arrangement just described, it is obvious that each of the limb exercising levers 23, 23a will be moved in a cyclic path, but that the movement of one of the levers relatively to the other will change constantly from cycle to cycle. In this way there will be a constant changing of the relationship of the movement of the two feet of the person sitting on the seat I4 and also of the two arms of the person sitting on the said seat.

I have actually constructed and operated a machine in accordance with the drawings of this application, and have found it extremely satisfactory and desirable, contributing exercising motion to the body that is of extreme therapeutic value.

We now claim:

1. In a machine of the class described, motor means, a pair oi limb exercising members, means mounting each of said limb exercising members for movement, motion transmitting means whereby said motor means moves each of said limb exercising members, and means whereby said motion transmitting means varies continuously the movement of said limb exercising members relatively to one another while moving each of said limb exercising members.

2. In a machine of the class described, motor means, a pair of limb exercising members, means mounting each of said limb exercising members for movement in a predetermined cyclic path, motion transmitting means whereby said motor means moves each of said limb exercising members in its cyclic path, and means whereby said motion transmitting means moves one of said limb exercising members through its cyclic path at a greater speed than the other of said limb exercising members whereby constantly to change the relative positions of said limb exercising members to one another.

3. In a machine of the class described, motor means, a pair of limb exercising members, means mounting each of said limb exercising members for movement in a predetermined cyclic path, and means whereby said motor means moves each of said limb exercising members in its cyclic path with the movement of one limb exercising member being at a, greater speed than the other of said limb exercising members whereby constantly to change the relative positions of said limb exercising members to one another.

4. In a machine of the class described, a pair of limb exercising members, means mounting each of said limb exercising members for pivotal movement, motor means, motion transmitting means between said motor means and each of said limb exercising members for moving said limb exercising members pivotally in predetermined cycles, and means whereby said motion transmitting means moves one of said limb exercising members through its cyclic path at a greater speed than the other of said limb exercising members whereby constantly to change the relative positions of said limb exercising members to one another.

5. In a machine of the class described, a pair of limb exercising members, foot and hand supports mounted on each of said limb exercising members, means mounting each of said limb exercising members for pivotal movement, motor means, motion transmitting means between said motor means and each of said limb exercising members for moving said limb exercising members pivotally in predetermined cycles, and means whereby said motion transmitting means moves one of said limb exercising members through its cyclic path at a greater speed than the other of said limb exercising members whereby constantly to change the relative positions of said limb exercising members to one another.

6. In a machine of the class described, motor means, a pair of limb exercising members, means mounting each of said limb exercising members for movement, foot and hand supports mounted on each of said limb exercising members, motion transmitting means whereby said motor means moves each of said limb exercising members, and means whereby said motion transmitting means varies continuously the movement of said limb exercising members relatively to one another while moving each of said limb exercising members.

7, In a machine of the class described, motor means, a pair of limb exercising members, foot and hand supports mounted on each of said limb exercising members, means mounting each of said limb exercising members for movement in a predetermined cyclic path, and means whereby said motor means moves each of said limb exercising members in its cyclic path with the movement of one limb exercising member being at a greater speed than the other yof said limb exercising members whereby constantly to change the relative positions of said limb exercising members to one another.

8. In a machine of the class described, a .pair of limb exercising members, means mounting each of said limb exercising members for movement, a motor, a rst gear rotated by said motor, a pair of gears each in mesh with said first gear to be driven thereby, one of said pair of gears having a lesser number of teeth than the other, and motion transmitting means between each of said gears `and one of said limb exercising members.

9. In -a machine of the class described, a pair of limb exercising members, means mounting each of said 4limb exercising members for movement, a motor, a worm gear rotated by said motor, a pair of ring gears each in mesh with said worm gear to be driven thereby, one of said ring gears having a lesser number of teeth than the other, and motion transmitting means between each of said ring gears and one of said limb exercising members.

10. In a machine of .the class described, a pair of levers, bearing means mounting said levers for pivotal movement intermediate the length thereof, a hand grip on each lever at one side of its pivotal mounting, a foot support on each lever at 4the other side of its pivotal mounting, an electric motor, .a rst gear rotated by said motor, -a pair of gears each in mesh with said rst gear to be driven thereby, one of said pair of gears having a lesser number of teeth than the other, and motion transmitting means between each of said gears and one `of said limb exercising members.

11. In a machine of the class described, a spring frame, a seat on said frame, a pair of limb exercising levers, bearing means 4on said frame mounting said levers for pivotal movement intermediate the length thereof, a lhand grip on each lever at one side of its pivot-a1 mounting, a foot support on each lever at the other side of its pivotal mounting, an electric motor, a rst gear rotated by said motor, a pair of gears each in mesh with said rst gear to be ldriven thereby, one of said pair of gears having .a lesser number of teeth than the other, and motion transmitting means between each of said gears and one of said limb exercising members.

12. In a machine of the class described, a pair of limb exercising members, means mounting each -of said limb exercising members for movement, a motor, a worm gear rotated by said motor, a pair of ring gears each in mesh with said worm gear to be driven thereby, one of said ring gears having a lesser number of teeth than the other, a crank secured to each ring gear for rotation therewith, .and :a .connecting rod between each -crank and one of said limb exercising members for moving each of said limb exercising members pivotally in repeated cycles.

13. In a machine of the class described, a pair of limb exercising members, means mounting each of s-aid limb exercising members for pivotal movement, a motor, a pair of cranks, means connecting each of said pair of cranks -to one of said limb exercising members, and means whereby said motor drives one of said cranks at a greater speed than the other.

PAULINE ARNOLD WHITE. PERCIVAL WHITE.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Budingen July 19, 1910 Number 

